James 1:17 (CEB)

17 Every good gift, every perfect gift, comes from above. These gifts come down from the Father, the creator of the heavenly lights, in whose character there is no change at all.


Reflection

Goodness has an origin.

Sometimes I marvel at how an act of kindness comes into being. Say someone holds open a door for me. That is not a siloed act as it may appear to be. That person knew to do that because someone has held a door for them. They were conscious enough to notice someone else’s need by being taught to be aware and empathic enough by others to others.

The act of kindness you experienced at the grocery store this morning? That has a long, long origin. Generations upon generations of goodness passed from one person to another like a baton. Our late love one’s live on through the goodness we offer today which was learned from their example. Goodness has an origin and its God.

When God decided to create something instead of allowing nothing to exist, God did so from God’s own being good. God then passed that creative ability to those God created and from there, goodness has remained in existence ever since. Even in the darkest of times, when evil seems to have grabbed the reigns, goodness remained somewhere in someone to be passed on.

So today, when someone says a kind word to you or picks up the dollar you dropped and hands it to you – remember that that moment did not come out of nowhere but is the result of centuries upon centuries of goodness birthed by God.

By Rachel Callender


For Pondering & Prayer

Who taught you how to be good? Whose example has created kindness within you? Give thanks to God for them today.

Prayer: God, who have gifted us the capacity to spread your goodness in the world. May our hearts lead with that kindness so that all may experience your gift. Amen.